Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

We are a dedicated institute for student entrepreneurs across campus and beyond. We aim to maximize your success by fostering your entrepreneurial mindset, promote inter-disciplinary collaboration and provide support for the creation and development of your new ventures. Jumpstart your ideas and get involved today!

Tune in for excitement!

Passion. Potential. Pitches. Don't miss any of the 2025 New Venture Challenge excitement.

Tune in Friday, April 11 at 1 p.m. for great ideas and fierce competition. Then, join the judges, mentors, spectators and teams as they see who is going home with thousands of dollars in venture financing. The awards broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. and one team will walk away as the overall best venture.

2025 NVC Competition Live Stream

2025 NVC Awards Live Stream

Start your entrepreneurial journey

Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration is the home of the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship and the first Department of Entrepreneurship in the state of Michigan. We are a student-centric hub where experiential, curricular, and external entrepreneurial opportunities intersect.

Our mission is to maximize student success by fostering a campus-wide entrepreneurial mindset that promotes inter-disciplinary collaboration and the creation of new ventures.

We aim to create innovative programming, boost cross-campus and ecosystem collaboration and provide a comprehensive mentoring program.

Our institute provides extracurricular opportunities and is open to all undergraduate and graduate CMU students.

Student opportunities

Meet experienced alumni, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors, and other business and political leaders.
Learn practical skills, innovative thinking, and connect with mentors and entrepreneurial resources.
Attend skill-building workshops and compete in pitch competitions and Hackathons.
Take part in special scholarship programs and travel experiences.
Pitch your venture at our signature New Venture Challenge event and compete for up to $20,000 in cash awards.

Find your path

Are you interested in becoming an entrepreneur?

Every journey is unique. Explore the opportunities that interest you.

A student standing with a faculty member holding big winning checks from the New Venture Challenge 2024.

Start up

Build up your venture idea.

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A student smiling and standing in front of his venture display at the 2024 New Venture Challenge.

Family business

Explore the Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways category at NVC.

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A close-up of the Prusa i3 MK3 printer in the entrepreneurship makerspace, the IDEA Den in Grawn Hall 166.

Product and prototype design

Create and patent your ideas.

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Innovation

Explore your ideas and build your skills.

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Schutten announces decision to step down

by Sanjay Gupta

Mary C. Schutten, Central Michigan University’s executive vice president and provost, today announced her decision to step down from her role, effective Dec. 31.

Mary C. Schutten, Central Michigan University's executive vice president and provost, today announced her decision to step down from her role, effective Dec. 31.

Schutten, who joined the university July 1, 2019, has been an integral part of CMU's success over the past 26 months, said CMU President Bob Davies.

"Mary's dedication to increasing rigor, relevance and excellence in CMU's academics and research set the tone for the ongoing work of our Strategic Envisioning Process," Davies said. "I also have deeply valued her leadership and insight as our university navigated the challenges of the pandemic. Throughout it all, she maintained focus on the success of our students and the well-being of our faculty."

Davies outlined a number of Schutten's achievements during her time at CMU, including:

Facilitation of an academic program prioritization process, identifying 24 marquee programs representing each of CMU's academic colleges.
Support of innovative research and creative activity through the President's and Provost's President's and Provost's Fund for Program Innovation and Excellence.
Establishment of several new academic programs, including environmental engineering and a new pediatric residency in the College of Medicine.
Creation of a strategic partnership with Mid Michigan College for a unique start-to-finish pathway for the Bachelor of Science in nursing degree.
Appointment to the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions, an independent body that decides cases involving NCAA member institutions and their employees.
Award-winning efforts to streamline processes for transfer students continuing their education at CMU.
Leadership of multiple search committees, bringing outstanding new faculty and administrative leaders to CMU.

Prior to her arrival at CMU, Schutten served for 30 years in a variety of leadership roles in higher education, including as dean at San Jose State University and associate dean and professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Grand Valley State University.

Schutten will continue in her role as provost through the end of the year before joining the CMU faculty. Davies said he will seek input on the formation of a search committee in the coming weeks.